Technology experts have encouraged youths to embrace the digital revolution to become self-reliant.
The experts, who gathered at a programme, Lagos Spring School in Digital Entrepreneurship and Digital Culture, to discuss the role of technology in shaping Nigeria’s future, said the digital revolution created opportunities for young Nigerians to become job creators rather than job seekers.
The event, convened by the founder of the Centre for Digital Humanities, University of Lagos, and former aide to the Lagos State Governor, Prof. Tunde Ope-Davies, brought together academics, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to address the urgent need to bridge the skills gap among graduates, particularly in the humanities.
Ope-Davies, according to a statement shared with Sunday PUNCH, stated that large capital investments were no longer necessary to launch innovative businesses.
He noted that technology enabled individuals to start businesses from anywhere, citing the founders of Uber as an example of how two people with laptops built a billion-dollar company.
The keynote speaker at the event and the Chief Executive Officer of New Horizon, Tim Akano, urged young Nigerians to embrace technology and develop skills to thrive in the AI-driven world.
He called on Africa to break free from its historical disadvantage in global innovation, stating that Nigeria must leave the “luggage compartment of humanity and jump into the front seat of technology to compete with the rest of the world.”
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folusho Afolabi-Leshi, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, stressed the need for universities to integrate technology into education.
He said technology was not just a tool but a catalyst for social development and empowerment.
The don warned that many jobs would become obsolete in the next five to ten years due to technological advancements, urging institutions to prepare students with relevant digital skills ahead.
